Firework
by ChasingTornadoes
Summary: Here goes...a slight FutureFic of a very idealistic way that this current season may turn out...Kurt/Blaine/Dave...set at Nationals with lots of flashback fun and romance...


First and foremost, since I haven't said it yet…THANK YOU so very much to everyone who reads my stories and gets anything like entertainment out of them. It was a big leap for me to get back into writing, but this amazing show and these three characters in particular were just calling me…and I'm loving every bit of it. The support and kindness and community-feeling from this site has been overwhelming in the best possible way! Mental hugs all around.

Ok, so, slight FutureFic inspired by, you guessed it, the Katy Perry song. It turned out longer than I thought, but I sorta love it this way. A kinda idealistic view of what could happen in the second half of the current season between Kurt, Blaine, Dave and the Glee Club, with a small twist heading into what would be Season 3…

Firework

By Rian

December 31, 2010

This is really happening. Kurt's mind was racing his heartbeat, his breathing coming in shallow sighs. He was here, they were here. New York, Nationals. They'd made it to their pipe dream after all. He sat completely erect and alert on the tacky forest green couch in the appropriately named Green Room. Blaine sat beside him, holding his hand, both of them trembling in excitement together. The warmth, as always, was flowing right rhrough Blaine into Kurt at the points that their bodies touched, the shoulder, the knee, the thigh, those hands.

Dave was pacing directly in front of them, as nervous as they were, but seemingly trying to burn off his own adrenaline and focus on the task at hand. Kurt noticed he stole a glance at the two on the couch every so often, and though he smiled at them, it was what Kurt thought of as a "quiet smile." The rest of the choir was scattered around the room, trying not to talk too much. Resting their voices, desperate to not feel the building tension as the minutes ticked by. Mr. Schue had wisely taken down the clock in the room, and turned the intercom down to a low buzz in the far corner.

Despite his silence, Kurt's insides were turmoil, of the best possible kind. This was what he'd always wanted, in so many ways. Leaning into Blaine and casting his gaze around the room at his friends, old and new, he allowed his mind to wander over the past few months. Had it really been so long and yet so quick since February? The day of the game, when everything had changed, so profoundly…and then Valentine's Day…and then…

He closed his eyes and remembered each incident with rapid-fire accuracy. Blaine meeting his parents at the game. Karofsky cornering him at halftime, not to torment him, but to…apologize. The girls on the Football team helping them win the game. Coach Beiste forcing the football team to join Glee as a show of solidarity, and as soon as football season was over, only two stayed…Stando and Dave. Strando was a riot, cutting up constantly, but he had a beautiful bass voice, and the way he'd been looking at Mercedes lately…well, Kurt knew that look all too well, smirking and inhaling Blaine's soft musky cologne as he kept daydreaming.

Sue had tried to steal Brittany, Santana and Quinn back, but miraculously all three had rebelled and quit right before the Cheerios' own Nationals, which they had lost. Meanwhile, at Dalton, things had been going smoothly, if not perfectly. Blaine had been acting flirty but distant and then Flint, one of the new guys they'd gotten to join the group to compete with Vocal Adrenaline and New Directions, had asked Kurt out. Excited but torn, he'd agreed to go, on Valentine's Day of all things. Blaine had been watching all this quietly from across the room, with sad, fiery eyes.

Valentine's Day came and before the date, Kurt and Mercedes had gone shopping for "date clothes." Only, Blaine had decided he'd wasted enough time and followed them there, with all the Warblers in tow. In the middle of the Gap, the group had surrounded and serenaded Kurt and Mercedes with that horrid Robin Thicke song. Kurt had barely breathed, watching Blaine dance around him, suggestively, looking at him hungrily. And that was when Blaine had pulled Kurt outside and in the frosty air told Kurt that he loved him.

Leading up to Regionals, life had been bliss. Days spent with Blaine, laughing, talking, kissing…all with the newest glow of intimacy. But, just before the competition, literally backstage, the pair had discovered several things at once, which had, in effect, ruined their performance. First, that Flint was not one to forgive and forget, and was going to make their lives hellish with catty gossip and veiled threats of revenge. Second, that the Warblers Council had been a little dubious in their planning, having not only spied on the competition, but attained their setlists. And most damaging of all, Blaine's parents were cutting him off. For no reason other than their own ignorance. Kurt blamed himself since this came after Blaine had told them he'd met the love of his life, but Blaine knew better and assured him as such…they'd just never be ok with him.

After those shocks, and their ho-hum performance, seeing Dave in New Directions was only a blip on the radar. And he was good. They were all good, Kurt's heart sunk even further. His friends would win and get to go to New York, and Blaine would have to leave and he'd be alone, again…And then Vocal Adrenaline came up, with that little Sunshine girl in front and blew the roof of the building. They won and it sucked, but in their set, Sunshine had sung a song that hit Kurt like an earthquake, one he'd never heard before. It was called "It's Not Over (Til It's Over)" by a group called Starship. And just that fast, he was his old self again, after all this time, and the healing with Blaine. And he had the answer, to everything.

He and Blaine transferred to McKinley the next week. It was amazing how easy it was to switch schools in this ridiculous state. New Directions had come in second behind Vocal Adrenaline, guaranteeing them a chance to go to Nationals. So it was no surprise that Kurt and Blaine were welcomed with such open arms back into the fold. Two strong new weapons in their arsenal. The most pleasant surprise was the changes in Dave. Being in Glee had given him the strength to come out, on his own, with his new friends to support him. And though it had taken time, he had accepted Kurt and Blaine's presence and even become friendly toward them. He leaned on them a lot when things had gotten hard from Azimio and the other bullies, and every time he wanted to explain various things to his family. And every so often, he still stole a glance at Kurt, with his eyes sad but twinkling, but he never again stepped out of line. Redemption was possible. Miracles even.

And now here they were, all these months later, about to take the stage. All 16 of them giddy but terrified. Lauren Zises was leaning on Puck in the corner. That was the oddest coupling of all. But after she'd saved him from the Port-O-John and stuck around in the Club, Puck just couldn't resist her. She was so blunt and bossy, but tender and hilarious. Just the kind of girl Puck had really needed. They were almost as cute as he and Blaine were. ALMOST, Kurt mused, smiling.

He was rocked out of his reverie by a crackle on the PA. "New Directions, to the stage. Two minutes!" "Ready, sweetheart?" Blaine asked quietly, gallantly. "I think so, you?" "Hell yes." Blaine's bravado was catching, so Kurt squared his shoulders, standing up and almost bumping right into Dave in doing so. "It's gonna be fine, right?" Dave asked nervously, so out of character until recently for him. He was looking Kurt square in the face again. "Let's go kick some ass" Kurt said lowly and that made Dave laugh and blush. They all headed out the door.

Kurt scanned the setlist in his head as they took their places behind the curtain on the risers. Mr. Schue had never been subtle in his song choice, but for once, Kurt was bubbling over with excitement at it. After Kurt and Blaine had transferred in, and peace had been made and kept with Dave, Mr. Schue had decided that not only was the theme of their set going to be acceptance and tolerance, but that the three boys would have the solos in each song. Kurt had a feeling part of the reason was also due to their being in New York at Show Choir Nationals, and the judges and audience would probably be stacked with gay guys. Oh well.

But the songs? Kurt's dreams had come true when they chose them. Blaine would go first, then Dave and Kurt himself would close out the set. It was a fail-proof plan. Even Rachel hadn't put up a fight when she saw the tears of joy in Kurt's sapphire eyes. Standing there on the risers in the dark, one level below where Blaine stood at the top, Kurt took another deep breath and reached for his boyfriend's hand. Blaine beamed at him and whispered "I love you, Kurt." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dave, who stood on Blaine's other side, flinch just slightly, but sigh and then hold his head high, putting on a show face. "You'll be great" Kurt whispered to him, and Dave's grin spread to his teeth and looked at Kurt with an expression like Kurt had never seen on his face before. "Thanks, fancy" Dave said shyly.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, from Lima, Ohio…NEW DIRECTIONS!" The group stiffened as the felt the curtain rise behind them and the low bass guitar note rose out of the ether, signaling their opening key. With a crash of drums and brass, the lights exploded on the stage, and Blaine whirled around to begin their opening number, Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger." He had never sounded better, looked better. The choir had been paired off to dance jazzy tangos during the song, and being that there were more guys than girls, Kurt and Blaine were dancing together, in the front, in the lead. Dave and Santana were just behind them and to the left. And the crowd was going wild. The harmonies were perfect, the misty smiles each singer shared as they danced priceless.

The last line of the song saw each couple dangerously close, face to face as Blaine sang the last lyrics, so appropriately, to Kurt's flushed face, and then kissed him full on the mouth to the sounds of whoops and cheers as the choir had never heard in all their performances.

As the lights dimmed slightly, and a large white Grand Piano was wheeled to Center Stage, Kurt thought back on meeting Blaine, while he was spying at Dalton, and realized the irony of the song anew. They had both been strangers, and yes, Blaine was beautiful, and he kept telling Kurt he was even moreso. Mr. Schue was so devious. And now, they were in love, so in love…and he was deliriously happy, after SO much mess had fallen on him this year. Kurt laughed at his own faraway thoughts. He'd never felt more alive and they had two songs left to go, including his.

The group moved into a semicircle around the piano, as Dave sat down. That had been another shock, Dave could play the piano. Damn well at that. So as the lights came up, he did a run up the keys and down before the pin spot hit him and he launched into a vamped-up version of Lady GaGa's "Paparazzi." The first half of the song was done slowly, dripping with longing, and Dave did not disappoint. As the rest of the group sang Warblers-esque harmonies behind him (Blaine had actually suggesting stealing that as payback), Dave banged away on the piano, and typically, Kurt was right in Dave's line of sight from where he sat on the bench.

With the second half of the song, the lights shot up, disco balls around, throwing diamond shapes through the auditorium and the dance beat kicked in. As the others dances, Kurt noticed Dave watching him closely, practically singing to him, anytime he wasn't connecting with the audience. Something was gnawing at Kurt's belly, but he tore his gaze away, smiling and singing at Blaine who was just behind him in the smoothly dancing semicircle. Damn Mr. Schue, thought Kurt. Doesn't he realize this song is just WAY too close and personal lyrically? Dave's been doing so well lately…and they're finally all ok with each other…

As Dave plunks out the last few notes, the crowd is on its feet, and the shock and surprise on Dave's face is palpable. The overwhelming acceptance and kindness and support gets to him, and he is crying just a little as he moves back to join the group on the risers again in the shadows while the piano is moved out. He and Blaine are now on either side of Kurt who is now perched, alone, on the top riser. They had kept their stage setup simple to be more traditional and high-school appearing. Minimalist, Kurt called it. And it was working, they were back to being the ragtag, scrappy band of misfits. And they were thriving.

Just before the throbbing of the last song started, Kurt felt Blaine take his hand on his right side and squeeze it. He felt the blood rushing to his head and mouthed "I love you" to him. And in a brash move, Kurt turned to Dave on his left, and held out his hand. Dave looked up for a split second surprised, shocked, and then joyful as he grabbed Kurt's hand and also squeezed. And with that, Kurt spun around and launched into his song. HIS song. Katy Perry's "Firework."

As he sang, he thought about how really, even before the winter, Katy Perry had started it all, with Blaine and his "Teenage Dream" number. When Dave was still just a scared little monster. And Kurt was hurting from all sides so badly. His father recovering, his family dynamic changing with Finn and Carol. Meeting and falling for Blaine, avoiding and then supporting Dave…Yeah, ok, Mr. Schue was a genius. This song was their song, all of them, but most of all, his and Blaine's and Dave's. As the group danced up a storm, Brittany and Mike setting the dazzling standard, Kurt's voice rained down above the chorus of his friends perfectly.

They were going to win. Finally, everything was working and good and they were going to win. They had been flawless and Kurt was sounding better then he had ever in his life. All his confidence was back, he was a diva. Of the best kind. As the stage erupted with the light show, the song built to its climax and it was almost over. Kurt was lifted high on Finn and Strando's shoulders as tiny sparks flitted down from the sparklers they'd requested above the stage. This was real, this was magic. And with the final pose, the club surrounded Kurt still held aloft and the music ended.

Deafening is the best word to describe the reaction. Kurt jumped down and into Blaine's arms as they group spread out in a line to take their bow. Dave had somehow once again ended up on Kurt's other side. Everyone was crying and laughing and yelling and smiling together. The audience had yet to let up and the standing ovation overwhelmed even Kurt. As they all joined hands, he felt Dave's slip into his softly. He had been mid-kiss with Blaine when it happened. They all raised their hands and bowed Broadway-style together, once, twice.

As their hands dropped, Kurt noticed that Dave didn't let go. Blaine had turned to hug Mercedes who was on his other side, so Kurt turned to Dave. It was that look again, the one from before. The longing, determined look, paired with a placid smile. Dave slowly raised Kurt's hand to his mouth and kissed it, softly, tenderly, never losing eye contact. Kurt's stomach dissolved into butterflies. Was this happening? Dave arched an eyebrow and then winked. Not the eerie one from November, just a flirtly little gesture, and then he turned away slowly to pat Mike Chang on the back.

Kurt was sweating now. He loved Blaine. BLAINE. What was wrong with him? The happiest moment of his life and he was…nervous, scared, confused…They were friends, they were all friends, even though it had taken forever. Everything was going to be fine. This was nothing. Just old paranoias, right? He felt the applause wash over him and chanced a look at Blaine and then Dave, both of whom met his glance with warm smiles. Trembling, he knew…he felt something…for both of them. His stomach dropped as he bowed one last time.

-So there you have it. My last fic of this year and I have to say, long as it is, I'm super proud of it. If only the show would go this way…But who knows? Anything is possible. Once again, thank you all SO much for your reviews and support and hell, for just being there. If you don't know the songs, check out the lyrics for "Beautiful Stranger," "Paparazzi" and "Firework" and tell me if they're not perfect for each boy in question. But then again, if you're a GLEEK, you probably know all about Katy, GaGa and Madonna.

Happiest of New Years to everyone and CAN'T WAIT for Feburary 6th! -Rian


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